News, Tutorials, Howtos for Ubuntu Linux
Boring with the default lock screen? Here’s a new extension to customize it from GNOME lock screen itself!
I’ve written about how to change lock screen background in Ubuntu with default GNOME desktop. Here’s now a new choice to do the job when you’re at the lock screen.
Meaning you don’t need to configure then lock (to see the change) and un-lock again and again. Just make changes on the fly, until it fits the best the you like.
GNOME, the popular free open-source Linux desktop environment, finally released new major 47 version a day ago on Wednesday!
If everything goes well, the new GNOME 47 desktop will be default in upcoming Ubuntu 24.10 and Fedora Workstation 41, and optional in Arch, Manjaro Linux, etc.
The new release features accent colors in the “Appearance” settings page. With it, user can change the Default Blue color of toggle buttons, slide bars, check-boxes, selection borders, etc., as easy as a single mouse click.
Ubuntu has the feature since 22.04. It has 10 colors while GNOME 47 has 9. They include Blue (default), Teal, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Purple, Slat. And, so far the accent color does NOT apply to the folder icons.
This tutorial shows how to enable floating top panel in Ubuntu 24.04, Fedora 40, Arch, Manjaro and other Linux with GNOME 46/47 Desktop.
Unlike traditional system panel which is usually stick to screen edge, floating bar (or panel) looks kinda like a desktop widget. It floats on the desktop, and usually has a small distance from the top or bottom edge.
Some systems, such as Windows 11, Zorin OS, Deepin Linux, include options to enable floating taskbar. The KDE Plasma 6 desktop even use it as default, which also automatically switches to solid panel style, when a window approaches or is maximized.
GNOME 47, the next release of the popular Linux Desktop environment, is in alpha stage now!
GNOME 47, which is scheduled to be released on Sep 14, 2024, will be the default desktop for next Ubuntu 24.10 and Fedora Workstation 41 if everything goes well.
The first alpha development release was out a few days ago. Which, introduced accent color support!
Ubuntu since 22.04 already has the feature out-of-the-box. Under “Appearance” settings page, there are some big dots with different colors under “Style” section. They are called accent colors. Choose one from there will apply the color to all toggle switches, check-boxes, slider-bars, selection borders, etc in the desktop.
Have Ubuntu computer connected with multiple monitors? Here’s how to make the top panel show in all displays!
GNOME, the default desktop in Ubuntu, so far only shows the top-panel in the primary display. There is a multi-monitors-add-on extension, allowing to make it work in all displays. However, it’s no longer in development and supports end at GNOME 3.38.
Thankfully, there’s open-source fork of that extension with GNOME from version 42 to 46 support, meaning for Ubuntu 22.04 and Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 12, Fedora Workstation, RHEL 9 , and other Linux with recent GNOME.
This tutorial shows how to hide (or auto-hide) the top bar in Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, and/or Ubuntu 20.04 with default GNOME Desktop.
Like the left (or bottom, if you moved it to) dock panel, the top bar can be hidden in Ubuntu and other Linux with GNOME Desktop to save screen space. And, this can be done by using one of the following extensions:
This tutorial shows how to enable some cool animations, when moving, opening, closing, minimizing and restoring app windows in Ubuntu with default GNOME Desktop.
All the animations here are handled by GNOME shell extensions, meaning they will also work in Fedora Workstation, RHEL 9, and other Linux with GNOME desktop.
NOTE: These animations will consume more energy and system resources. It’s NOT recommended for laptop running without power supply, and lower end PC with very old CPU and low memory.
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In Ubuntu desktop, most app windows by default start at top-left of screen. It’s quite annoying, since you have to move app window before it’s ready for use.
So, in this tutorial I’m going to show you how to tweak you desktop, to make it start app window at screen center automatically.
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This tutorial shows how to enable variable refresh rate (VRR) to get better gaming experience in Ubuntu 24.04 with default GNOME Desktop.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), aka adaptive sync, is a feature that allows your monitor to adjust the refresh rate on the fly, so it matches the frame rate of output signal from the graphics card. It’s useful for games to eliminate screen tearing, and can also lowers power consumption since the monitor does not need to always refresh at the highest rate.
GNOME introduced experimental VRR since version 46 in default Wayland. Here I’m going to how to enable this feature.
Before getting started, you need to check something to make sure you meet all the requirements for enabling this feature.
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Dash-to-panel, the popular GNOME Shell Extension, got a update few days ago with the latest GNOME 46 support.
For those who don’t know about dash-to-panel, it’s a free open-source extension for GNOME, which replaces the default panel and dock with a single bottom bar. Along with ArcMenu, user can easily customize the desktop to Windows 10 or Windows 11 style layout.
Ubuntu 24.04 with Dash to panel and ArcMenu
